An electrical connector (“connector”) is used for various applications, depending on which, the connector may be subjected to substantial vibrations. In a conventional connector, a male connector having a male terminal and a female connector having a female terminal, are brought into electrical contact when the male and female terminals are electrically mated together. However, when the connector is subjected to vibration, contact between the male terminal and the female terminal is difficult to maintain, and the reliability of the connector is thus impaired.
An example of conventional vibration resistant connectors can be seen in Japanese Patent Nos. 2000-91029 ('029) and 2003-323924 ('924). In '029, a connector is disclosed that connects a male connector and a female connector to each other, even when the male connector and the female connector do not properly face each other upon assembling an instrument panel module. Additionally, the connector in '029 prevents deformation or breakage on the occurrence of displacement or vibration between modules after both the connectors are connected.
In '924, a connector is disclosed having a structure that reduces the transmission of vibration or shock between mated connectors, thus maintaining a secure contact between the male and female connectors.
In conventional connectors connecting a plurality of female terminals retained by a single housing and a plurality of male terminals connected to a single member, for example, a circuit board, when this circuit board is vibrated by an external force, both of the male terminals and the female connector including the female terminals vibrate in synchronization with the circuit board. Therefore, a relative positional relationship between the male terminals and the female terminals, namely, a contact relationship, can be maintained in an initial contact state, or, even if the relationship cannot be maintained, the relative displacement of the terminals with respect to each other, is inconsiderable.
However, such contact stability is lacking when the male terminals are connected to different devices, an example being when male terminals MA connected to a circuit board A and male terminals MB connected to a circuit board B are in contact with a plurality of female terminals retained by a single housing. In this case, the respective vibration patterns of the circuit board A and the circuit board B may be different from each other. It should be noted that the vibration pattern defined herein includes at least a vibration period and/or amplitude, such that a displacement of the male terminal MA due to this vibration and a displacement of the male terminal MB due to this vibration consequently differ from each other. Based on this difference, a relative positional relationship between the male terminal MA and a female terminal FA and a relative positional relationship between the male terminal MB and a female terminal FB must be present in order to maintain contact stability.
There is a need for an electrical connector a female terminal capable of keeping a relative contact positional relationship with each male terminal, even when the female terminal is in contact with the male terminal connected to a circuit board or another member having a different vibration pattern.